Heating apparatus for tank-cars.



APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27 I916.

Patented July 30, 1918.

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E. A. SCHREIBER. HEATING APPARATUS FOR TANK CARS.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27 I916. I 1 ,273,936, Patented July 30, 1918.

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HEATING APPARATUS FOR TANK CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21.1916.

1 ,273,93 6 Patented July 30, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I9I6- Patented July 30, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. SCHREIBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 7

TO VAPOR CAR HEATING-COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.. HEATING APPARATUS FOR TANK-CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'EDWARD A. SOHREIBER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heating Apparatus for paratus which allows the pipes to expand and contract Without danger of straining or breaking the joints or other parts ofthe apparatus.

A further object is to provide an arrangement of the elements of the heatinggapparatus with respect to the tank whereby the apparatus is not injured by the expansion and contraction of the tank which may occur with changes in temperature. I

The invention consists in the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following specification. i

The invention is illustrated, in certain preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View of a tank car showing in plan a plurality of steam heating pipes constructed and arran ed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan View of the radiating pipes Within the tank.

Fig. 4 is a view, in perspective, of the supply and discharge pipes which, in this embodiment of the invention, are arranged under the tank.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing, in elevation, one of the headers to which the radiating pipes are secured.

Fig. 6 is a sectional "iew on line 66 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 7 is a sectional View on line 77 of Fig. 1. p

Fig 8 is a view, in perspective, of one of the unions used for securing together the Specification of Letters Patent.

sections of the inner pipes of the steam heating units.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional plan illustrating a different embodiment of the tus which is shown, in connection with the tank, in Fig. 9.;

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in tlie several figures ofthe drawings.

26, bottomplates 27, 27, and end plates 28;

these plates being overlapped and riveted together in the usual manner. The bottom Patented July 30, 1918.

I Application filed March 27, 1916. Serial No. 86,923.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive,

A designates a tank car, of ordinary construction, consisting of side and top plates 1 of the tank is provided with a discharge spout 39 adapted to be closed by a valve 7 30 having a spindle 31 which is manipulated by a hand wheel 32 in the dome 33 of the car.

The heating apparatus shown in F igs. 1 to 8 inclusive, consists of two sets of pipes B, G, one for each end of the tank,which may be identical in construction. The steam is supplied to the radiating pipes B, C, and the water of condensation dischargedtherefrom by an arrangement of pipes shown in detail in F ig. at. 3a is an in may be connected with any suitable source pipes B and the otherthe set of pipes'C. 1 One of these pipes, for example pipe 35,

has a bend in it made up of four-elbows 37 and three short connecting pipe sections 38.

. This arrangementis to prevent the expan-f sion and contraction of the inlet pipe sys-- tern from breaking or unduly straining the pipes. The water of condensation from the radiating pipes ,B outflows through dis-' charge pipe 39, and the Water of condensation from pipes G through pipe 40, pipe 39 be-' ing a branch of pipe 4:0, and the latter being provided preferably with a steam. trap 41.

With this general understanding of the heating apparatus as a Whole, it will be sulficient to describe in detail one of the sets of radiatingpipes, namely, pipes B. 42 is'a header formed with an interior web 43 dividing it into an inlet. chamber 44: into which inlet pipe 35 opens, and a discharge,

chamber 45 from which discharge pipe 39 leads. 16 designates a plurality of pipes which are attached at one end to the interior web i3 of the header so that they receive steam from the inlet chamber 4% of the header. Thesepipes are open at their outer ends and are surrounded respectively by a set of pipes l7 threaded into the wall 48 of the header and closed at their outer ends by caps i9. Each pair of pipes 46, 17 forms a continuous conduit for the circulation of heating medium, the steam flowing from pipe 35 and inlet chamber is through pipe :6 and back through pipe $7, outlet lugs 51 adapted to bear against the inner surfaces of pipes e7. The outer pipes t7 are also free to expand and contract, being anchored only at one end, namely to the header. In order to support and guide pipes 47 I provide the tank at intervals with chairs or supports 52 upon which the pipes 47 are supported, and to which they are held by strips 53 but not tight enough to interfere with the freedom of the pipes to expand and contract when the steam is turned on and off.

In order to apply heat to the liquid in the immediate vicinity of the discharge spout the adjacent wall 5% of the header has tapped into it stub pipes 55, the outer ends of which are closed by caps 56.

Operation (Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive) \Vhen tank cars are used for transporting oil or other liquid or semi-liquid substances which become viscous or congeal at low temperatures, the discharge of the material is facilitated by rendering it fluid through the application of heat. The usual procedure has been to provide tank cars with steam coils of one sort or another, and to introduce steam into the coils after the car has reached its destination so that the oil or other material will be made fluid before it is discharged. A great deal of difficulty has been experienced with the heating coils of tank cars because of the sudden expansion of the pipes when the steam is turned on, and the reciprocal contraction takes place after the steam has been shut off and the pipes begin to cool. Another difiiculty is that the tank itself is subject to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. For these reasons the radiating coils used in tank infrequently damage is done to the contents of the tank through the leakage or breakage of the steam pipes.

In the apparatus above described these difliculties are entirely overcome. When the steam is turned on it flows into the inlet chamber at of the header and through the inner pipes 4E6. These pipes are free to expand and elongate relative to the outer pipes 417. The medium flows back through pipes 16 and out through discharge chamber 15 and pipe 39. The outer pipes are also free to expand, being anchored to the tank only at one place, namely, at the ends secured to the header. I

The modified arrangement shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, except that each set of heating pipes E, F consist of but two units and except that the suaply and discharge pipes leading to and from the headers are arranged within the tank. The latter arrangement has the advantage that these pipes serve to apply heat to the region around the discharge spout doing away with the necessity of the pipes of the previously described apparatus. The steam enters through inlet pipe 79. This pipe has a branch 80 leading to the header 81 and a branch 82 leading to the header 83. Water of condensation is discharged from header 81 through a pipe 81 and from header 83 to a pipe 85, these pipes communicating with acommon discharge pipe 86 through which the water of condensation is delivered to the steam trap, not shown, on the under side of the car. The inlet and discharge pipes above referred to are formed with angular bends so as to minimize the danger of breakage due to the expansion and contraction of the pipes.

lVhile I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that further modifications might be made without departure from the principles of the invention. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the precise constructions, arrangements and devices shown and described except so far as these constructions are made specific limitations in certain of the claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tank car, of a heating element Within the same comprising two pipes arranged one within the other so as to be free to expand and contract independently of each other; said pipes communicating with each other so as to provide a continuous conduit for circulation of heating medium, the outer pipe being supported on the Wall of said car so as to be free to expand and contract longitudinally, said inner pipe consisting of a plurality of pipe sections, and unions joining the same procars have required constant repair and not vided with lugs adapted to bear against the outer pipe to provide guiding means between the inner and outer pipes.

'2. The combination with a tank car, of a header therein formed with an inlet cham her and an outlet chamber, provided with a base for attachment to the car, said base having an opening therethrough to minimize the obstruction which the header offers to the flow of liquid through the tankfa plurality of pipes connected with said header at one end and communicating with the inlet chamber, a set of pipes connected with the header at one end, communicating with the outlet chamber and inclosing said first named pipes respectively, each such pair of inner and outer pipes commimicating with each other at the ends remote from the header so as to provide a plurality of continuous conduits for the circulation of heating medium, said inner pipes being free to expand and contract independently of the outer pipes and the outer pipes being free to expand and contract with relation to the tank.

3. The combination with a tank car, of a header therein formed with an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a plurality of pipes connected with said header at one end and communicating with the inlet chamber, a set of pipes connected with the header at one end, communicating with the outlet chamber and inclosing said first named pipes respectively, each such pair of inner and outer pipes communicating with each other at the ends remote from the header so as to provide a plurality of continuous conduits for the circulation of heating medium, said inner pipes being free to expand and contract independently of the outer pipes and the outer pipes being free to expand and contract with relation to the tank, the inner pipes being composed of a plurality of sections, and unions joining said sections provided with lug bearing against the outer pipes.

4. The combination with a tank car, of a pair of headers arranged within said car near the middle thereof, formed, in each case, with an inlet chamber and a discharge chamber, a steam supply pipe having branches leading to said inlet chambers respectively, a discharge pipe having branches conununicating with the discharge chambers respectively, and heating units consisting, in each case, of a pair of pipes one within the other, secured at one end to one of said headers with the inner pipes communicating with the inlet chamber and the outer pipe with a discharge chamber, means for supporting the outer pipes on the car which permits expansion and contraction of the same with respect to the car, and means for supporting the inner pipes within the outer other and of the car, a steam supply pipe extending through the bottom of the car and having branches within the car leading to said headers, and a discharge pipe leading out of the car provided with branches within the car communicating with said headers respectively.

6. A heating element comprising two pipes arranged one within the other, a member to which said pipes are rigidly connected at one end provided with inlet and outlet ports communicating with said pipes respectively,

said pipes communicating with each other at the ends remote from said member so as to provide a continuous conduit for the circu1a tion of heating medium, the inner pipe being composed of sections, and unions connecting the same provided with lugs bearing against the outer pipe.

7. The combination with a tank car, the tank of which is formed in the bottom with a discharge opening of a heating apparatus in the tank, comprising a pair of headers located on opposite sides of said opening, a plurality of heating units extending from the headers toward the ends of the car, which consist of a pair of pipes, one within the other, commrmicating with each other to form a continuous conduit and free to expand and contract independently of each other, and pipes connected with the header on the sides adjacent said opening which lie along and heat the region adjacent said opening.

8. The combination with a tank car, the tank of which is formed in the bottom with a discharge opening of a heating apparatus in the tank, comprising a pair of headers located on opposite sides of said opening, a plurality of heating units. extending from the headers toward the ends of the car, which consist, in each instance, of a pair of pipes, one within the other, communicating with each other to form a continuous conduit, and free to expand and contract independently of each other, and pipes for conducting heating medium to and for discharging the same from the headers, which are connected with the headers on the sides adjacent said open- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washln :ton, D. 0." r 

